BJP leader Chander Prakash Ganga, who drew criticism for attending a rally in support of the accused in Kathua rape case, alleged that BJP's state party leadership had sent the leaders to attend the meeting of the Hindu Ekta Manch.

Activists participating in a silent candlelight march to protest over government's 'inaction' in Kathua and Unnao rape incidents. PTI

“We were sent by the party. Our party president Sat Sharma sent us. We went there on the party’s instruction,” he said, speaking with Times Now on Saturday. "If my resignation can save the image of my party, I will give this sacrifice," he added.

ANI reports that the Ganga also vouched that he never practised "politics for power".

Ganga and another BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh's resignation was announced on Saturday after the party faced criticism over the two BJP leaders' participation in a rally supporting those arrested for the rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua.

Earlier on Saturday, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav, said, "The resignations of two BJP ministers in the Jammu and Kashmir government have been accepted and now being forwarded to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti."

Ganga, however, denied any pressure to resign. "There was no pressure on me to resign, I have done it by myself," he said.

Singh had also made comments on the same vein earlier on Saturday. He defended his participation in the rally, saying that it was meant to defuse the situation and restore normalcy.

"We had gone to defuse the situation created due to migration one and half months back. We told them they should go back. Abdul Gani Kohli (minister) was sent to the house of the victim so that an ugly situation was not created," Lal told reporters.

He said they had gone to Rasana as they had a responsibility to reach out to the people.

"Migration had taken place. Our party leadership, the party president, sent us there with responsibility. They did the right thing. We sat with over 5,000 people and made them understand. They heard us and went back to their homes," he claimed.

Both the leaders also reiterated their demand for a CBI inquiry into the rape-and-murder of the eight-year-old girl in Kathua.

“To safeguard the interest of Jammu, I will not hesitate to fight the government or meet the prime minister personally and reiterate the demand for a CBI probe into the Kathua rape-and-murder case which is the demand of lakhs of people,” Ganga said.

Earlier in the day, Singh also sought a CBI probe and said, “What is wrong with it. The agency will not indulge in any wrongdoing."